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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Simultaneous determination of electrical conductivity and thickness of nonmagnetic metallic foils using two-sided multifrequency eddy current techniques

Here, in this paper, we describe a simple method for performing multifrequency eddy current characterization of free-standing uniform-thickness metallic foils using a forked inductive coil arrangement. The method involves measuring the mutual inductance between two coils when a foil is present between the coils, and when it is not present; the ratio of these mutual inductances is compared with an analytical solution, and foil conductivity, thickness, and sheet resistance are simultaneously estimated using numerical inversion and least-squares fitting. This method was used to characterize 34 non-ferrous metallic samples with thicknesses between 50 and 640 μm and with conductivities between 0.8 × 10 7 and 5.8 × 10 7 S/m. The estimated thicknesses from eddy current characterization agreed well with those measured using confocal optical techniques; the two approaches agreed to within 1 μm for samples that were thinner than 200 μm, and to within 0.5% for samples that had a thickness of 200 μm or greater. The estimated conductivities from eddy current characterization were in close agreement with expected values, given knowledge of the materials used. A particular strength of this approach is that the instrumentation needed is broadly available in research and development laboratories and the associated fixturing is easy to manufacture and assemble. A calibration procedure is described that can be used to reduce errors from geometric uncertainties. This calibration requires a sample that has only a known conductivity or thickness; both do not need to be known. The method described herein is likely extensible to conductivities and thickness well outside the ranges measured as part of this work.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2025

Local structure of zinc–indium–tin oxide films via grazing-incidence x-ray pair-distribution functions and theoretical methods

A detailed experimental and theoretical study on the local (r ≤ 4.5 Å) atomic structure of amorphous and crystalline zinc–indium–tin oxide (ZITO) thin films using grazing-incidence x-ray Pair-Distribution Functions (PDFs), ab initio Molecular Dynamics (MD), and Empirical Potential Structure Refinement (EPSR) Monte Carlo simulations is presented. High-energy synchrotron x rays, a two-dimensional detector, and different incident angles were used to probe the depth uniformity of five (ZnO) 0.15 (In 2 O 3 ) 0.70 (SnO 2 ) 0.15 films that were deposited via pulsed-laser deposition at growth temperatures (T G ) ranging from 25 to 300 °C. Films deposited at T G ≤ 150 °C were amorphous. The partially crystalline (T G = 200 °C) and fully crystalline (T G = 300 °C) films were highly textured. Both crystalline and amorphous structures were investigated using ab initio MD and EPSR Monte Carlo simulations. The density of the amorphous films determined from the experimental data agreed with MD calculations. Coordination numbers, bond lengths, and distortion for metal–oxygen and for both the edge- and corner-shared In–metal shells up to 4.5 Å obtained from PDF analysis closely agreed with MD and EPSR simulations. There is a pronounced decrease in the edge- and corner-shared In–Zn distances arising from the shorter Zn–O bond length, Zn–O tetrahedral coordination, and In–O–Zn angle in amorphous ZITO compared to its crystalline counterpart. A maximum in electrical mobility was observed for the amorphous film just before crystallization occurred. While the peak is broad, consistent with nearly unchanged overall cation–oxygen coordination in the amorphous films, ESPR results indicate that the tetrahedral coordination follows the conductivity trend.

Grazing Incidence X-ray↗
DOE OSTI2018

Influence of molecular oxygen addition on gain and generation characteristics of a cryogenic slab RF-discharge-pumped overtone CO laser

The influence of molecular oxygen addition to an active medium of a cryogenic slab RF-discharge-pumped overtone CO laser operating without active medium circulation on the threshold generation conditions and spectral and energy characteristics of laser radiation is calculated. Results of the modelling well agree with experimental data obtained at the initial period of laser operation and substantially differ from data obtained after reaching a stationary operation regime. The model sufficiently well describes characteristics of a single-pulse electron-beam controlled CO laser operated on gas mixtures comprising oxygen. In this model, the generation pulse profiles of a cryogenic slab CO laser operated on the fundamental band transitions of the CO molecule under pulsed-periodic RF pumping well agree with experimental data. The agreement is also observed for the parts of the RF-discharge power spent on exciting vibrational and electronic states of molecules. Reasons for distinctions between some other calculated and experimental data are analysed. (paper)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Enhanced enstrophy generation for turbulent convection in low-Prandtl-number fluids

Turbulent convection is often present in liquids with a kinematic viscosity much smaller than the diffusivity of the temperature. Here we reveal why these convection flows obey a much stronger level of fluid turbulence than those in which kinematic viscosity and thermal diffusivity are the same; i.e., the Prandtl number Pr is unity. We compare turbulent convection in air at Pr = 0.7 and in liquid mercury at Pr = 0.021. In this comparison the Prandtl number at constant Grashof number Gr is varied, rather than at constant Rayleigh number Ra as usually done. Our simulations demonstrate that the turbulent Kolmogorov-like cascade is extended both at the large- and small-scale ends with decreasing Pr. The kinetic energy injection into the flow takes place over the whole cascade range. In contrast to convection in air, the kinetic energy injection rate is particularly enhanced for liquid mercury for all scales larger than the characteristic width of thermal plumes. As a consequence, mean values and fluctuations of the local strain rates are increased, which in turn results in significantly enhanced enstrophy production by vortex stretching. The normalized distributions of enstrophy production in the bulk and the ratio of the principal strain rates are found to agree for both Prs. Finally, despite the different energy injection mechanisms, the principal strain rates also agree with those in homogeneous isotropic turbulence conducted at the same Reynolds numbers as for the convection flows. Thus, our results have interesting implications for small-scale turbulence modeling of liquid metal convection in astrophysical and technological applications.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2017

Evaluation of the Pool Critical Assembly Benchmark with Explicitly-Modeled Geometry using MCNP6

Despite being one of the most widely used benchmarks for qualifying light water reactor (LWR) radiation transport methods and data, no benchmark calculation of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Pool Critical Assembly (PCA) pressure vessel wall benchmark facility (PVWBF) using MCNP6 with explicitly modeled core geometry exists. As such, this paper provides results for such an analysis. First, a criticality calculation is used to construct the fixed source term. Next, ADVANTG-generated variance reduction parameters are used within the final MCNP6 fixed source calculations. These calculations provide unadjusted dosimetry results using three sets of dosimetry reaction cross sections of varying ages (those packaged with MCNP6, from the IRDF-2002 multi-group library, and from the ACE-formatted IRDFF v1.05 library). These results are then compared to two different sets of measured reaction rates. The comparison agrees in an overall sense within 2% and on a specific reaction- and dosimetry location-basis within 5%. Except for the neptunium dosimetry, the individual foil raw calculation-to-experiment comparisons usually agree within 10% but is typically greater than unity. Finally, in the course of developing these calculations, geometry that has previously not been completely specified is provided herein for the convenience of future analysts.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Rejoinder

We would like to thank all of the discussants for their thoughtful and insightful comments. We heartily agree with Willis Jensen’s remark that the collection of views from multiple different perspectives possible with a discussion paper has added greatly to the overall contribution. Roger Hoerl compactly and eloquently summarized our thoughts about the role of statisticians on teams: “to objectively lead a team of subject matter experts through the minefield of problem resolution.” We agree with Benjamin Slade that this leadership role can be achieved either through formally leading the team or by being an active, engaged member of the team with an eye on the overall goals of the team and impacting the structure of the decision-making process. Hoerl also highlights what solutions interdisciplinary teams should be seeking – namely those that are “the best business … or scientific solution[s], rather than the best statistical solutions.” If this is how we define the objective of the team’s problem-solving or decision-making efforts, then establishing ourselves as fully-included team members or even working towards leading the team efforts should become easier.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2018

A Test Problem for Codes Solving the Discretized Diffusion Equation in Cartesian Geometry Derived Via Discrete Green’s Functions

We obtain here a solution to a zone-centered discretization of the one dimensional time-dependent diffusion equation with arbitrary initial conditions and source, constant absorption and scattering opacity, and constant zone size and time step. The solution is obtained using the discrete Green’s functions of the discretized equation. The solution of the discretized equation is useful in the testing of computer codes, because the code can be expected to agree with the solution to the discrete equation, to within small errors caused by roundoff. This is in contrast to solutions of the differential equation, with which the code results only approximately agree. Finally, the usefulness of the solution for tests of an inertial confinement fusion code is demonstrated.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2012

SUPERNOVA 2008bk AND ITS RED SUPERGIANT PROGENITOR

We have obtained limited photometric and spectroscopic data for supernova (SN) 2008bk in NGC 7793, primarily at {approx}> 150 days after explosion. We find that it is a Type II-Plateau (II-P) SN that most closely resembles the low-luminosity SN 1999br in NGC 4900. Given the overall similarity between the observed light curves and colors of SNe 2008bk and 1999br, we infer that the total visual extinction to SN 2008bk (A{sub V} = 0.065 mag) must be almost entirely due to the Galactic foreground, similar to what has been assumed for SN 1999br. We confirm the identification of the putative red supergiant (RSG) progenitor star of the SN in high-quality g'r'i' images we had obtained in 2007 at the Gemini-South 8 m telescope. Little ambiguity exists in this progenitor identification, qualifying it as the best example to date, next to the identification of the star Sk -69 Degree-Sign 202 as the progenitor of SN 1987A. From a combination of photometry of the Gemini images with that of archival, pre-SN, Very Large Telescope JHK{sub s} images, we derive an accurate observed spectral energy distribution (SED) for the progenitor. We find from nebular strong-intensity emission-line indices for several H II regions near the SN that the metallicity in the environment is likely subsolar (Z Almost-Equal-To 0.6 Z{sub Sun }). The observed SED of the star agrees quite well with synthetic SEDs obtained from model RSG atmospheres with effective temperature T{sub eff} = 3600 {+-} 50 K. We find, therefore, that the star had a bolometric luminosity with respect to the Sun of log (L{sub bol}/L{sub Sun} ) = 4.57 {+-} 0.06 and radius R{sub *} = 496 {+-} 34 R{sub Sun} at {approx}6 months prior to explosion. Comparing the progenitor's properties with theoretical massive-star evolutionary models, we conclude that the RSG progenitor had an initial mass in the range of 8-8.5 M{sub Sun }. This mass is consistent with, albeit at the low end of, the inferred range of initial masses for SN II-P progenitors. It is also consistent with the estimated upper limit on the initial mass of the progenitor of SN 1999br, and it agrees with the low initial masses found for the RSG progenitors of other low-luminosity SNe II-P.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

MODIFICATION OF THE MOOG SPECTRAL SYNTHESIS CODES TO ACCOUNT FOR ZEEMAN BROADENING OF SPECTRAL LINES

In an attempt to widen access to the study of magnetic fields in stellar astronomy, I present MOOGStokes, a version of the MOOG one-dimensional local thermodynamic equilibrium radiative transfer code, overhauled to incorporate a Stokes vector treatment of polarized radiation through a magnetic medium. MOOGStokes is a suite of three complementary programs, which together can synthesize the disk-averaged emergent spectrum of a star with a magnetic field. The first element (a pre-processing script called CounterPoint) calculates for a given magnetic field strength, wavelength shifts, and polarizations for the components of Zeeman-sensitive lines. The second element (a MOOG driver called SynStokes derived from the existing MOOG driver Synth) uses the list of Zeeman-shifted absorption lines together with the existing machinery of MOOG to synthesize the emergent spectrum at numerous locations across the stellar disk, accounting for stellar and magnetic field geometry. The third and final element (a post-processing script called DiskoBall) calculates the disk-averaged spectrum by weighting the individual emergent spectra by limb darkening and projected area, and applying the effects of Doppler broadening. All together, the MOOGStokes package allows users to synthesize emergent spectra of stars with magnetic fields in a familiar computational framework. MOOGStokes produces disk-averaged spectra for all Stokes vectors ( I, Q, U, V ), normalized by the continuum. MOOGStokes agrees well with the predictions of INVERS10 a polarized radiative transfer code with a long history of use in the study of stellar magnetic fields. In the non-magnetic limit, MOOGStokes also agrees with the predictions of the scalar version of MOOG.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Hubble space telescope calspec flux standards: Sirius (and Vega)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) has measured the flux for Sirius from 0.17 to 1.01 μm on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) White Dwarf scale. Because of the cool debris disk around Vega, Sirius is commonly recommended as the primary IR flux standard. The measured STIS flux agrees well with predictions of a special Kurucz model atmosphere, adding confidence to the modeled IR flux predictions. The IR flux agrees to 2%-3% with respect to the standard template of Cohen and to 2% with the Midcourse Space Experiment absolute flux measurements in the mid-IR. A weighted average of the independent visible and mid-IR absolute flux measures implies that the monochromatic flux at 5557.5 Å (5556 Å in air) for Sirius and Vega, respectively, is 1.35 × 10{sup –8} and 3.44 × 10{sup –9} erg cm{sup –2} s{sup –1} Å{sup –1} with formal uncertainties of 0.5%. Contrary to previously published conclusions, the Hipparcos photometry offers no support for the variability of Vega. Pulse pileup severely affects the Hp photometry for the brightest stars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

A strict test of stellar evolution models: The absolute dimensions of the massive benchmark eclipsing binary V578 Mon

We determine the absolute dimensions of the eclipsing binary V578 Mon, a detached system of two early B-type stars (B0V + B1V, P = 2.40848 days) in the star-forming region NGC 2244 of the Rosette Nebula. From the light curve analysis of 40 yr of photometry and the analysis of HERMES spectra, we find radii of 5.41 ± 0.04 R{sub ☉} and 4.29 ± 0.05 R{sub ☉}, and temperatures of 30,000 ± 500 K and 25,750 ± 435 K, respectively. We find that our disentangled component spectra for V578 Mon agree well with previous spectral disentangling from the literature. We also reconfirm the previous spectroscopic orbit of V578 Mon finding that masses of 14.54 ± 0.08 M{sub ☉} and 10.29 ± 0.06 M{sub ☉} are fully compatible with the new analysis. We compare the absolute dimensions to the rotating models of the Geneva and Utrecht groups and the models of the Granada group. We find that all three sets of models marginally reproduce the absolute dimensions of both stars with a common age within the uncertainty for gravity-effective temperature isochrones. However, there are some apparent age discrepancies for the corresponding mass-radius isochrones. Models with larger convective overshoot, >0.35, worked best. Combined with our previously determined apsidal motion of 0.07089{sub −0.00013}{sup +0.00021} deg cycle{sup –1}, we compute the internal structure constants (tidal Love number) for the Newtonian and general relativistic contribution to the apsidal motion as log k {sub 2} = –1.975 ± 0.017 and log k {sub 2} = –3.412 ± 0.018, respectively. We find the relativistic contribution to the apsidal motion to be small, <4%. We find that the prediction of log k {sub 2,theo} = –2.005 ± 0.025 of the Granada models fully agrees with our observed log k {sub 2}.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

A detailed study of giants and horizontal branch stars in M68: Atmospheric parameters and chemical abundances

In this paper, we present a detailed high-resolution spectroscopic study of post main sequence stars in the globular cluster (GC) M68. Our sample, which covers a range of 4000 K in T{sub eff}, and 3.5 dex in log(g), is comprised of members from the red giant, red horizontal, and blue horizontal branch, making this the first high-resolution GC study covering such a large evolutionary and parameter space. Initially, atmospheric parameters were determined using photometric as well as spectroscopic methods, both of which resulted in unphysical and unexpected T{sub eff}, log(g), ξ{sub t}, and [Fe/H] combinations. We therefore developed a hybrid approach that addresses most of these problems, and yields atmospheric parameters that agree well with other measurements in the literature. Furthermore, our derived stellar metallicities are consistent across all evolutionary stages, with 〈[Fe/H]〉 = −2.42 (σ = 0.14) from 25 stars. Chemical abundances obtained using our methodology also agree with previous studies and bear all the hallmarks of GCs, such as a Na-O anti-correlation, constant Ca abundances, and mild r-process enrichment.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

CALIBRATING EXTINCTION-FREE STAR FORMATION RATE DIAGNOSTICS WITH 33 GHz FREE-FREE EMISSION IN NGC 6946

Using free-free emission measured in the Ka band (26-40 GHz) for 10 star-forming regions in the nearby galaxy NGC 6946, including its starbursting nucleus, we compare a number of star formation rate (SFR) diagnostics that are typically considered to be unaffected by interstellar extinction. These diagnostics include non-thermal radio (i.e., 1.4 GHz), total infrared (IR; 8-1000 {mu}m), and warm dust (i.e., 24 {mu}m) emission, along with hybrid indicators that attempt to account for obscured and unobscured emission from star-forming regions including H{alpha} + 24 {mu}m and UV + IR measurements. The assumption is made that the 33 GHz free-free emission provides the most accurate measure of the current SFR. Among the extranuclear star-forming regions, the 24 {mu}m, H{alpha} + 24 {mu}m, and UV + IR SFR calibrations are in good agreement with the 33 GHz free-free SFRs. However, each of the SFR calibrations relying on some form of dust emission overestimates the nuclear SFR by a factor of {approx}2 relative to the 33 GHz free-free SFR. This is more likely the result of excess dust heating through an accumulation of non-ionizing stars associated with an extended episode of star formation in the nucleus rather than increased competition for ionizing photons by dust. SFR calibrations using the non-thermal radio continuum yield values which only agree with the 33 GHz free-free SFRs for the nucleus and underestimate the SFRs from the extranuclear star-forming regions by an average factor of {approx}2 and {approx}4-5 before and after subtracting local background emission, respectively. This result likely arises from the cosmic-ray (CR) electrons decaying within the starburst region with negligible escape, whereas the transient nature of star formation in the young extranuclear star-forming complexes allows for CR electrons to diffuse significantly further than dust-heating photons, resulting in an underestimate of the true SFR. Finally, we find that the SFRs estimated using the total 33 GHz flux density appear to agree well with those estimated using free-free emission due to the large thermal fractions present at these frequencies even when local diffuse backgrounds are not removed. Thus, rest-frame 33 GHz observations may act as a reliable method to measure the SFRs of galaxies at increasingly high redshift without the need of ancillary radio data to account for the non-thermal emission.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

DETAILED CHEMICAL ABUNDANCES OF FOUR STARS IN THE UNUSUAL GLOBULAR CLUSTER PALOMAR 1

Detailed chemical abundances for 21 elements are presented for four red giants in the anomalous outer halo globular cluster Palomar 1 (R{sub GC} = 17.2 kpc, Z = 3.6 kpc) using high-resolution (R = 36, 000) spectra from the High Dispersion Spectrograph on the Subaru Telescope. Pal 1 has long been considered unusual because of its low surface brightness, sparse red giant branch, young age, and its possible association with two extragalactic streams of stars. This paper shows that its chemistry further confirms its unusual nature. The mean metallicity of the four stars, [Fe/H] = -0.60 {+-} 0.01, is high for a globular cluster so far from the Galactic center, but is low for a typical open cluster. The [{alpha}/Fe] ratios, though in agreement with the Galactic stars within the 1{sigma} errors, agree best with the lower values in dwarf galaxies. No signs of the Na/O anticorrelation are detected in Pal 1, though Na appears to be marginally high in all four stars. Pal 1's neutron-capture elements are also unusual: its high [Ba/Y] ratio agrees best with dwarf galaxies, implying an excess of second-peak over first-peak s-process elements, while its [Eu/{alpha}] and [Ba/Eu] ratios show that Pal 1's contributions from the r-process must have differed in some way from normal Galactic stars. Therefore, Pal 1 is unusual chemically, as well in its other properties. Pal 1 shares some of its unusual abundance characteristics with the young clusters associated with the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy remnant and the intermediate-age LMC clusters, and could be chemically associated with the Canis Majoris overdensity; however, it does not seem to be similar to the Monoceros/Galactic Anticenter Stellar Stream.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

THEORETICAL p-MODE OSCILLATION FREQUENCIES FOR THE RAPIDLY ROTATING {delta} SCUTI STAR {alpha} OPHIUCHI

A rotating, two-dimensional stellar model is evolved to match the approximate conditions of {alpha} Oph. Both axisymmetric and nonaxisymmetric oscillation frequencies are computed for two-dimensional rotating models which approximate the properties of {alpha} Oph. These computed frequencies are compared to the observed frequencies. Oscillation calculations are made assuming the eigenfunction can be fitted with six Legendre polynomials, but comparison calculations with eight Legendre polynomials show the frequencies agree to within about 0.26% on average. The surface horizontal shape of the eigenfunctions for the two sets of assumed number of Legendre polynomials agrees less well, but all calculations show significant departures from that of a single Legendre polynomial. It is still possible to determine the large separation, although the small separation is more complicated to estimate. With the addition of the nonaxisymmetric modes with |m| {<=} 4, the frequency space becomes sufficiently dense that it is difficult to comment on the adequacy of the fit of the computed to the observed frequencies. While the nonaxisymmetric frequency mode splitting is no longer uniform, the frequency difference between the frequencies for positive and negative values of the same m remains 2m times the rotation rate.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

THEORETICAL CEPHEID PERIOD-LUMINOSITY AND PERIOD-COLOR RELATIONS IN SPITZER IRAC BANDS

In this paper, the synthetic period-luminosity (P-L) relations in Spitzer's IRAC bands, based on a series of theoretical pulsation models with varying metal and helium abundance, were investigated. Selected sets of these synthetic P-L relations were compared to the empirical IRAC band P-L relations recently determined from Galactic and Magellanic Clouds Cepheids. For the Galactic case, synthetic P-L relations from model sets with (Y = 0.26, Z = 0.01), (Y = 0.26, Z = 0.02), and (Y = 0.28, Z = 0.02) agree with the empirical Galactic P-L relations derived from the Hubble Space Telescope parallaxes. For Magellanic Cloud Cepheids, the synthetic P-L relations from model sets with (Y = 0.25, Z = 0.008) agree with both of the empirical Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and Small Magellanic Cloud P-L relations. Analysis of the synthetic P-L relations from all model sets suggested that the IRAC band P-L relations may not be independent of metallicity, as the P-L slopes and intercepts could be affected by the metallicity and/or helium abundance. We also derive the synthetic period-color (P-C) relations in the IRAC bands. Non-vanishing synthetic P-C relations were found for certain combinations of IRAC band filters and metallicity. However, the synthetic P-C relations disagreed with the [3.6]-[8.0] P-C relation recently found for the Galactic Cepheids. The synthetic [3.6]-[4.5] P-C slope from the (Y = 0.25, Z = 0.008) model set, on the other hand, is in excellent agreement to the empirical LMC P-C counterpart, if a period range 1.0 < log (P) < 1.8 is adopted.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

AN EVOLUTIONARY MODEL FOR COLLAPSING MOLECULAR CLOUDS AND THEIR STAR FORMATION ACTIVITY

We present an idealized, semi-empirical model for the evolution of gravitationally contracting molecular clouds (MCs) and their star formation rate (SFR) and efficiency (SFE). The model assumes that the instantaneous SFR is given by the mass above a certain density threshold divided by its free-fall time. The instantaneous number of massive stars is computed assuming a Kroupa initial mass function. These stars feed back on the cloud through ionizing radiation, eroding it. The main controlling parameter of the evolution turns out to be the maximum cloud mass, M{sub max}. This allows us to compare various properties of the model clouds against their observational counterparts. A giant molecular cloud (GMC) model (M{sub max} {approx} 10{sup 5} M{sub Sun }) adheres very well to the evolutionary scenario recently inferred by Kawamura et al. for GMCs in the Large Magellanic Cloud. A model cloud with M{sub max} Almost-Equal-To 2000 M{sub Sun} evolves in the Kennicutt-Schmidt diagram, first passing through the locus of typical low-to-intermediate-mass star-forming clouds, and then moving toward the locus of high-mass star-forming ones over the course of {approx}10 Myr. Also, the stellar age histograms for this cloud a few Myr before its destruction agree very well with those observed in the {rho}-Oph stellar association, whose parent cloud has a similar mass, and imply that the SFR of the clouds increases with time. Our model thus agrees well with various observed properties of star-forming MCs, suggesting that the scenario of gravitationally collapsing MCs, with their SFR regulated by stellar feedback, is entirely feasible and in agreement with key observed properties of MCs.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

ATOMIC DIFFUSION AND MIXING IN OLD STARS. III. ANALYSIS OF NGC 6397 STARS UNDER NEW CONSTRAINTS

We have previously reported on chemical abundance trends with evolutionary state in the globular cluster NGC 6397 discovered in analyses of spectra taken with FLAMES at the Very Large Telescope. Here, we reinvestigate the FLAMES-UVES sample of 18 stars, ranging from just above the turnoff point to the red giant branch below the bump. Inspired by new calibrations of the infrared flux method, we adopt a set of hotter temperature scales. Chemical abundances are determined for six elements (Li, Mg, Ca, Ti, Cr, and Fe). Signatures of cluster-internal pollution are identified and corrected for in the analysis of Mg. On the modified temperature scales, evolutionary trends in the abundances of Mg and Fe are found to be significant at the 2{sigma} and 3{sigma} levels, respectively. The detailed evolution of abundances for all six elements agrees with theoretical isochrones, calculated with effects of atomic diffusion and a weak to moderately strong efficiency of turbulent mixing. The age of these models is compatible with the external determination from the white dwarf cooling sequence. We find that the abundance analysis cannot be reconciled with the strong turbulent-mixing efficiency inferred elsewhere for halo field stars. A weak mixing efficiency reproduces observations best, indicating a diffusion-corrected primordial lithium abundance of log {epsilon}(Li) = 2.57 {+-} 0.10. At 1.2{sigma}, this value agrees well with Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe calibrated big bang nucleosynthesis predictions.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗